Show You Have Car Insurance Or It Will Be Towed

A warning for those driving without car insurance. Starting this Sunday if you can't show it, police will tow it. State statistics show four out of every 10 drivers don't have insurance. That's why Tyler adopted an ordinance to let police tow away uninsured drivers.

Tom Sorrels, an independent insurance agent in Tyler, is all for towing uninsured drivers.

"Sometimes the only way to educate people is to make it hurt," said Tom Sorrels, insurance agent. "It's the law. Let's enforce the law because if somebody gets a DWI we would tow their car and get their car off the road." On Monday, one of his clients, Roderick Greenhouse hit an uninsured driver that ran a red light. With only liability insurance himself, Greenhouse is forced to share a car because he can't afford to fix his.

"I got disgusted when I found out she didn't have a license and then I was like I'm out of a car," said Roderick. Police say for a first violation, uninsured drivers will only be required to pay a $250 fine, but if you're caught a second time, the price goes way up. In addition to the $410 fine, DPS will add a $710 surcharge. On top of that, there is a $110 towing fee, and $12 for every day your car is kept in storage, and before you can get your car back, you have to get insurance, which is about $360, and proof from police you have it, which is $5. The total, almost $1,700.

"Main goal, if you get insurance then none of this will come into play, your much better off getting insurance," said Officer Don Martin, Tyler Police Department. Police say there is an exception to the first violation rule. In an accident, an uninsured driver will automatically be towed. Police want to remind people showing a fake or invalid insurance card is a misdeamnor. If they feel it's necessary, police say they will call your insurance agency to verify you actually have it.